A machine, such as a cold planer, is typically employed to break up or remove a surface from a paved area. The cold planer, also referred to as a road mill, typically includes a milling system. The milling system includes a milling drum having a plurality of teeth. The milling system draws power from an engine through a suitable interface to rotate the milling drum in a cutting chamber (milling chamber) to perform milling operations on the surface of the paved area. The surface of the paved area breaks apart due to rotation of the milling drum against (and its teeth digging into and tearing apart) the surface. The rotation of the milling drum can also deposit material from the broken up surface on a primary conveyor. The primary conveyor transfers the material to a secondary conveyor, which in-turn can transport the material to a nearby haul vehicle.
During cold planer milling operation, air, fumes, dust and pieces of cut asphalt circulate in the cutting chamber in which the milling drum is operating. Pieces of cut asphalt (large and small pieces) are rapidly and forcefully thrown about in the cutting chamber during the breaking up of the surface. Existing cold planer ventilation systems vent fumes, dust and some smaller particles by using a fan to draw such away from the vicinity of the primary conveyor, and away from the area in front of the cutting chamber. Such ventilation systems draw and transport the fumes, dust and smaller particles to a relatively distant discharge location, for example, the secondary conveyor. The fumes, dust and smaller particles are picked-up outside of the cutting chamber because of the high likelihood of the larger pieces of cut asphalt getting drawn into the fan and causing damage to the fan if the cutting chamber is vented directly.
EP Publication No. 2647770, hereinafter the '770 publication, describes a suction dredger that uses two fans to produce suction. The two fans are arranged in series and are utilized to produce a suction force that moves the dredged material from one location to another location. According to the '770 publication, a goal of the '770 publication is to provide an alternative for handling the variable influence of the suction power of the suction dredger.